"One crore new members in last 8 days, Thanks to all who have reposed their faith in BJP for a better and stronger India," BJP president Amit Shah said on his twitter post with the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his side.

"Membership drive crosses 9 crore mark," said a text on the picture.

Party sources said the membership drive, which was launched on November 1 with Prime Minister Modi becoming the first to renew his membership, has been extended by a month as some states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, sought some more time.

Shah has so far visited 23 states and is set to visit the remaining ones in the next month for aggressively pursuing the drive and add more members to touch the 10-crore mark target set at the beginning.

On the last day of the current membership drive that was to end today, the party boasts of having made nine crore members, with the last one crore members added in the last eight days.

Party leaders say the membership drive has been extended keeping in view the response the party was getting to its hi-tech membership campaign.

The party claimed to have become the largest political party in the world, pipping Communist Party of China that has over 8.6 crore members.

"Congrats to party workers for making BJP largest political party! But this was not just adding numbers. We are at winning hearts and uniting minds," party's vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said earlier.

Anyone can become a member of the party by dialling a mobile number but all memberships will be verified later by party members who will visit each member and verify their antecedents.

Shah also lauded the party's Gujarat unit which roped in one crore members.